'What a disgrace': Football world rages over 'insane' Mo Salah image
The football world has reacted with shock as an image of Mo Salah lining up for a penalty under a storm of lasers from the crowd as Egypt were knocked out of World Cup qualifying.
Boulaye Dia scored in the fourth minute as Senegal won the second leg 1-0 for a 1-1 aggregate draw at the new Diamniadio Olympic Stadium, which was packed with a capacity 50,000 crowd hours before kick-off.
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The nerve-filled shootout started with four misses, including from both captains — Kalidou Koulibaly and then Salah — but Mane won the shootout.
However, an image of Salah lining up for the nerve-racking penalty has swept in the internet.
The Liverpool icon was swarmed with an overwhelming amount of lasers pinpointed in his eyes.
At the top of his run-up, lasers were seen darting across the pitch and into the Egyptian star's eyes.
Unfortunately for Egypt, Salah went on to sky the penalty.
Football fans reacted to the unbelievable scenes.
This is insane! Mo Salah taking a penalty for Egypt with the World Cup on the line and there are 3,000 laser pointers in his eyes.
Take a guess at what happens next…. pic.twitter.com/8PvpKUBksR— Stu Holden (@stuholden) March 29, 2022
The lasers from Senegalese fans on Mo Salah were a disgrace by the way. pic.twitter.com/7lRojVJLqn
— Watch LFC (@Watch_LFC) March 29, 2022
Genuinely awful penalty from Mohamed Salah, but the lasers there from Senegal fans don’t half make it hard for him. pic.twitter.com/AmjlE6NxWR
— Louis Dangoor (@TheLouisDangoor) March 29, 2022
👀 Mo Salah just before his penalty miss in Egypt’s World Cup qualifier play off against Senegal… pic.twitter.com/tgHFGrzOC2
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) March 29, 2022
Lasers from the stands being shone on Egypt's players through the whole match and penalties!
Mo Salah missed his penalty and Egypt are OUT! 😳 pic.twitter.com/O8FQ8c23UG— PurelyFootball®️ (@PurelyFootball) March 29, 2022
What we saw vs what Mo Salah saw: pic.twitter.com/oD1IUQjq4t
— Footy Humour (@FootyHumour) March 29, 2022
Blame Mo Salah for missing the penalty with some empathy then. The lasers did not spare him tonight. 👀 pic.twitter.com/SlE0SuCEdG
— Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) March 29, 2022
What a disgrace! 😞@MoSalah couldn't see for lasers as he went to take the first penalty. His face was literally covered by them. He then missed it... pic.twitter.com/9GFRfcJA5M
— IG ‘Trust In KLOPP’ (@imran_IGG) March 29, 2022
As Salah walked off the field, fans pelted the Liverpool forward with bottles in unsavoury scenes.
Senegal advance to World Cup at expense of Egypt
For Salah, missing the World Cup with Egypt would be a another huge disappointment after losing to Senegal only two months ago.
The result was a repeat of the Africa Cup of Nations final two months ago when Mane again scored the winning penalty in a shootout against the same opponents.
Egypt had netted a fourth-minute goal last Friday in the first leg in Cairo but that advantage was quickly eroded on Tuesday.
Idrissa Gana Gueye's free kick was cleared in the wrong direction by Egypt defender Ahmed Fattouh, straight into the path of Dia, who needed two attempts to bundle it over from close range.
In Abuja, Thomas Partey's early strike via a goalkeeper error helped Ghana secure a 1-1 draw with hosts Nigeria as they became the first African side to book a place at the World Cup.
Ghana advance to the finals on the away goals rule after the first leg finished goalless on Friday, and will take part in their fourth World Cup after appearing in three successive tournament from 2006 to 2014.
with AAP
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